The Wilmingtonian., 1887-02-26
Love on n Toboggan.

my niece'"'-'-
"And tell you madame,I will,-if I can"
"She is engaged to my son, Tom"
. "She is engaged to me, and don't care a
snap of my fingers for your son Tom"
''Sir, your language is ungenlemauly,'
"Madame so is yours"
We we're both at white heat; Mrs. Jupp,
the aunt the legal gurdian Of my adored
Julia, positively trembled with rage, and
looked around the room as IT in search o.
some weapon with which to attack me. She
was large and stout, had deep bass voice,
and hideeus giry curls and wore glasses OF
such an intense magnfying power that she
seemed to be glaring at one Ike a hungry
Gorgou, (by the way what is. Gorgon?) aud
could drive. men away flom the vicinity OF
her niece-my dear lullaby simply favor
ing them with stony stare, as fixed and aw-
full as that of the Sphinx.
Leave my house, sir" she said at last,
rising and pointing to the door, with very
foe dramatic action. Anger is more becpn'-
ing to large, stout woman than to small
one-unless she gets red in the face.
'T will not go until you give me some bef-
ter reasons for the stand you take in this
matter"
al have told you once-she is engaged. to
my SON."
Il don't believe it," l said boldly, though
gerbaps rudely; but my lovely Julia was re.
fected in a distant mirror, smiling at mt
and shaking her head, and / was reckless
Mrs. Jupp gasped, and if magnified glance
from her glaring eyes could have killed me,
Iwould have died on tbs spot.
Mr. Edgerton, if my son were here"
"Confound your son - said |. l really
used much stronger, forgetting for mo.
ment where was.
am not quito certain what hit me, but
think It was footstool, as | afterward found
a gilded claw--in my coat pocket. A MAJ
servant, whom had often fad in other days
picked me up and escorted me to the door
murmuring sympathetically the while, that
"to be sure, Mrs. Jupp was leetle uncer
tain at times" Uncertain There is moth
ing uncertain about her. am a small man,
and tremendous bump on my forehead il
conspicuous; nor is one black eye becoming
to any one, so 1 skunk down the street like
criminal, vowipg vengeance on the old ty'
rant in petticoats, who only wanted Julia t,
marry her son in order to to keep the money
in the family, for Julia was quite an heiress
though Of course the facthad no weight witt
me.
Business of some kind had brought Mrs
Jupp to St. Paul, and there she took hous,
and established herself with her lovely niece
for the winter. Iu the first stages of my ac
uuaintance | was of much service to the olC
lady, and ran about aud did her miserahl
errands for her like a born IDIOT | also haC
every opportunity Of falling in lore with he
niece, and this l did as rapidly as po, sibl
and with such success that in two month
from their arrival announced our engage
ment to tue aunt, with the above described
result, though it must be understood that
have only given the termination of my nego
tatious-the prcliminaries being tame aut
uunteresting The next day spent in m.
room trying experiments with raw beef a
applied TO black eye, aud uutsing variou
schemes of vengeance, aud the lump on m
forehead at the same time.
The day following ventured down to IN
ofi1e, and from there sent an impassionat
note to my darling Julia, note eled wit
despair, vows of eternal love and appropriat
quotations. Ny note was returned by tn
gtinning office bog, who said the old lad
had opened it in his presence, read it aloud
and told him to take it back to that littl
fool-meaniug me-and add d that sh
would box his-the said boy's-ears if h
ever brought another. discharged the DO
on the spot, aud told him he was an idl'
good-for-nuthing vagaboud. During tn
day friend called in, and after some stupi
drivol which almost drove me crazy, said, al
propos of nothing: by the way called 4
the Jupps last night, On lady says tie
leave here on Saturday and ale gOin
straight to Europe. Dldn't see the fair Juli
always thought you were a little smitte
there, You know"
Snitten Yes, by both of them. Ii II
fool only knew that he was sitting, SO
speak, on volcano, he might go away. i
did go away at last, and relieved my fee
iugs by throwing the inkstand into the liz
place, and kicking the waste basket a
around tho room. Leave on Saturday. GoC
heavens and this was Friday l began
wonder if the water in the Mississippi WI
culd-suppnsing one could cut hole in u
ice-or if poison were better, and had real
worked myself iato a comfortable sort
gloom, when in came that internal boy aga
and handed va note which looked as if
had been, kicked about in the streets for
month. knew the writing at once-it Wi
hers, and in my joy gave the lad fifty cen
aud told him hs might have a holiday ne
week, and 90 to his grandmOthers funer
having dim idea that he had once
pose.
''My dear George" SO ran the note
am locked up in my room and am crying ;
the time. Aunt comes to the door eve
hour and shouts, yes, shouts thr ugh Il
keyhole; Have You heard from George? Y
ought To sec him with black eye. He is
loyely-iC's so becoming and other horn
things like that. She is going t9 take |
away tomorrow, and carry me of TO Euro
a I'd oh, George, shall die, l know l sha
Bat mast tell you how to see mo on
more. She has promised Mrs. Smith-JOu
(that horrid woman!) to 60 with her AID s
the toboggau slide tu-mOrrow, at II O'coc
and she is afraid to leave me behind, a
will be obliged to take me with her! Do y
understand? This is our last chance, b
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